Bathroom clothes dryer



A ril 13, 1965 s, wmsm 3,i7s,033

BATHROOM CLOTHES DRYER Filed March 5, 1963 H H I! 1 1m United States Patent 3,178,033 BATHROOM CLOTHES DRYER Sebastian Wirsing, 1 Ethel St., East Patchogue, N .1. Filed Mar. 5, 1963, Ser. No. 262,865 3 Claims. (Cl. 21186) The present invention relates to a clot-hes dryer which is such in construction that it may be aptly and effectively used whenever necessary or desired in the users bathroom particularly where the bathroom is provided with a built-in bathtub, shower curtain and supporting rod for the curtain.

The idea, broadly construed, of suspending or hanging wet garments and clothes over a bathtub and using makeshift devices, clothes lines, for example, to do so is old and well known. On the other hand, it is apparent that using the receptacle portion of the bathtub and the space or area above the bathtub is a well directed elfort toward solving-indoor clothes drying particularly where quarters are limited and perhaps at a premium. It follows that it is an objective in the instant advance in this line of endeavor to provide simple, practical and efiicient structural means which when brought into use in association with the shower curtain rod and tub accomplishes the desired result.

Briefly, the concept herein under consideration involves, generally speaking, the combination of the built-in or equivalent bathtub, elevated horizontal shower curtain rod which is located above the outwardly disposed wall portion of the tub, a rack which is connectible with the rod, and a prop which is carried by the rack and is capableof being readily placed in a rack elevating and supporting position so that the clothespins carried by the rack function to suspend the garments and other washable things above the tub for drainage and drying.

More particularly the invention has to do with the aforementioned rack. This rack is preferably generally U-shaped in plan and the attachable free ends of the arms thereof are provided with curtain rod engaging and suspending hooks. A plurality of individual selectively usable clothespins are pivotally mounted on the frame. The prop comprises a pivoted leg carried by the bight portion of the frame. The lower end of the prop is designed and adapted to be supported, when necessary or desired, on an inner fixed wall of the tub, said fixed wall providing a prop-supporting ledge.

A general objective of the invention is to advance the art of bathroom-type clothes dryers, to provide a simple, efficient and practical construction which lends itself to satisfactory use in the ordinary domestic or home type bathroom.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view in perspective showing a fragmentary portion of a conventional-type bathroom, more particularly, a built-in bathtub, shower curtain, rod on which the curtain is slidingly suspended and, what is more important, a readily attachable and detachable clothes dryer embodying the invention and illustrating the same in ready-to-use position;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged view taken approximately on the plane of the vertical section line 22 of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a view at right angles to FIG. 1 and taken centrally but showing the dryer frame propped up to assume its horizontal clothes suspending drying position;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary sectional piew based on FIG. 3 but showing portions of the dryer on an enlarged scale; and

FIGURE 5 is a View in perspective of a coupling constituting a component part of the aforementioned clothes frame prop.

With reference now to FIGS. 1 and 3 in particular the alcove or other space in the bathroom is denoted by the numeral 8 and the fixed or built-in tub therein is denoted at 10. The slidable foldable shower curtain 12 is shown provided with customary suspension or hanger hooks 14 slidingly and detachably mounted on a horizontal elevated shower pole or rod 16 which is fixedly mounted above the outer wall portion 18 of the tub. The inner parallel wall portion of the tub is denoted at 20 and this constitutes a supporting ledge in the manner hereinafter described.

The invention is primarily in the form of an accessory or an attachment for the rod and tub. On the other hand, it is conceivable that it could be made up as a shower rod part or accessory and perhaps sold with the rod for use in a novel manner. In any event, it is desirable here to comprehend the inventive concept by treating it in combination with the tub and rod, with or without the shower curtain, and wherein it is characterized by a frame and a prop.

The frame, which is readily attachable to and detachable from the shower rod 16, is of U-shaped form and is denoted as a unit by the numeral 22. More specifically the frame comprises a straight-across bight portion 24 and lateral arms or limbs 26 the free ends of which terminate in hooks 28 which are designed and adapted to be detachably hooked over the rod 16 as shown in FIG. 2. The bill portion 30 of the hook is spaced from the limb portion 26 a distance suificient to permit the hook to be readily attached and detached. The numeral 32 designates a cross brace which is parallel to the bight portion 24 and has its ends connected to the limb portions 26. The frame also includes spaced parallel wires or equivalent rod-like members 34 which are attached to the arms and which are arranged in spaced parallel order between the bight portion 24 and brace 32. Mounted on these supporting wires are slidable pivotally mounted individual selectively usable clothes clips or clothespins 36. These may be of spring-loaded jaw type or of some equivalent construction. The idea is to have suificient and properly arrangeable clothespins on the frame so that when the frame is in the down-hanging position depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2, the clothespins are likewise hanging down to facilitate attachment of the various articles of clothing indicated in phantom lines in FIG. 4. When, however, the frame is brought into use it is swung toward the wall 38 so that it will then be in an elevated horizontal position above the receptacle portion of the tub 10. This is brought out in FIGS. 3 and 4.

While it would be within the purview of the invention to proved hook means or brackets or the like (not shown) on the wall 38 at the proper point to hang up the frame in a horizontal position it is preferred to employ a more feasible and consequently practical support, specifically, the hinged-1y mounted prop 40. The prop has an eye 42 on the upper end which is hingedly mounted on the big-ht portion 24. While this prop could be of one-piece construction it has been found more satisfactory (for handling, shipping and other purposes) to utilize a sectional prop, that is, one which is made up of an upper leg or section 44 and a complemental lower leg or section 46. The lower end of the prop is provided with a rubber or an equivalent tip 48 which is designed and adapted to reside on the ledge-like wall 20 when it is being used as illustrated in FIG. 3. Coupling means is desirable for joining the abutting end portions 50 of the legs or sections together as illustrated in FIG. 2. This coupling means 52 comprises a rubber or an equivalent sleeve having one end portion 54 joined to and projecting from the upper end of the lowersection 46 and having the upper end portion 56 slitted lengthwise as at 58 to provide a convenient socket for removable reception of the lower end portion of the upper leg or section 44.

By examining FIGS. 1 and 2 and comparing the same it will be seen that-normally the clothespins or clips are hanging down in what may be called vertical positions or ready reception of the articles and things which are to be dried. The clothespins assume the position and relationship illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 when the drying frame with garments thereon is disposed in its usable position. a

The leg is sufficiently long when its parts are coupled together to functionin the manner illustrated. However, by separating the legs or sections 44 and 46 and then detaching the books 28' it will be seen that a relatively small package is-bad for packaging, shipping, storing and handling.

In practice'the open portions 30 of the hooks 28 are aligned with and engaged over the curtain rod 16.. Then, the device is in position and ready for use. Normally it assumesa vertically suspended position approximately above and in line with the wall 18. At this time the prop 40 also hangs down in a ready-to-use position. After the rack has been loaded it is swung inwardly toward the wall 38- to overhang the whim a horizontal usable position as illustrated in FIG. 3. In this position the prop 40 comes into play to maintain the loaded rack in its desired clothes suspending and drying position.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of .the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit theinvention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications -and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed;

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1 For use .in conjunction with a conventional-type bathtub having a fixed horizontal shower curtain supporting rod, said r od mounted in an elevated normallyusable position above the tub: a clothes dryer capable 'oflbeing detachably and hingedlymounted on and suspended from a curtain rod, said dryer comprising a one .piece rigid U-shaped frame of non-corrodiblematerial, ,said, frame embodying a bightportionand a pair of complemental limb portions connected at like ends to cooperating ,ends of said bight portion, said limb portionsbaving free ends terminating in hooks, said hooks being adapted to be detachably hooked over a curtain rod, the bill portions of said hooks beingspaced-frorn the-limb portions a distance sufiicient to permit the hooks to be conveniently attached to or removed "from a 'rod, said frame being provided with a plurality of coplanar cooperating cro-sswires, said crosswires supporting systematically arranged clothespins, and support meansfor said .frame comprising a prop having an endportion connected to saidbight-portion.

2. The structure defined .in claim land wherein said prop comprises a pair of axially aligned cooperating sections, the end portion of one sectio'nybeing hingedly connected to the bight portion, the other section constituting a leg and being providedWith-alowerfree end portion having a tip, said tip'being structurally designed and functionally adapted to rest atopa wall of a bathtub when the frame is proppedup in -a horizontal clothes suspending-position over a tub, and-coupling means carried by adjacent coacting ends of the sections and separably' joining said'sections' together, i

'3. A clothes dryer for use in conjunction with a builtin bathtub of the type having a fixed horizontal shower curtain supporting rod elevated above the tubcompris ing: a substantially U-shaped frame having a bight portion and complemental limb portions connected 'at like ends thereof to cooperating ends of said lbight portion, said limb portions having free ends terminating ind-frame attaching and retaining hooks, said hooks being adapted to be detachably hooked over the aforementioned cur tain rod, said hooks being adapted to slidingly and hingedly connect said frame with the aforementioned curtain rod,. a plurality of clothespins, means carried by said limb portions orderly .and adjustably mounting the clothespins on and within the confines of said frame and prop .meanscom'prising a pair of axially alignable sectior'is constituting legs, one ofsaid legs being hingedly connected with the bight portion, the other leg being provided with a free lower end portion having a tip to rest atop a wall of, the bathtub when 'being used, coupling means carried by adjacent abutting ends of the legs and separably connecting -.tl'1e same together.

ReferencesCited bythe Examiner "UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,628,936

CLAUPE A: LE ROY, P m y. Ex miner. 

1. FOR USE IN CONJUNCTION WITH A CONVENTIONAL-TYPE BATHTUB HAVING A FIXED HORIZONTAL SHOWER CURTAIN SUPPORTING ROD, SAID ROD MOUNTED IN AN ELEVATED NORMALLY USABLE POSITION ABOVE THE TUB: A CLOTHES DRYER CAPABLE OF BEING DETACHABLY AND HINGEDLY MOUNTED ON AND SUSPENDED FROM A CURTAIN ROD, SAID DRYER COMPRISING A ONE PIECE RIGID U-SHAPED FRAME OF NON-CORRODIBLE MATERIAL, SAID FRAME EMBODYING A BIGHT PORTION AND A PAIR OF COMPLEMENTAL LIMB PORTIONS CONNECTED AT LIKE ENDS TO COOPERATING ENDS OF SAID BIGHT PORTION, SAID LIMB PORTIONS HAVING FREE ENDS TERMINATING IN HOOKS, SAID HOOKS BEING ADAPTED TO BE DETACHABLY HOOKED OVER A CURTAIN ROD, THE BILL PORTIONS OF SAID HOOKS BEING SPACED FROM THE LIMB PORTIONS A DISTANCE SUFFICIENT TO PERMIT THE HOOKS TO BE CONVENIENTLY ATTACHED TO OR REMOVED FROM A ROD, SAID FRAME BEING PROVIDED WITH A PLURALITY OF COPLANAR COOPERATING CROSSWIRES, SAID CROSSWIRES SUPPORTING SYSTEMATICALLY ARRANGED CLOTHESPINS, AND SUPPORT MEANS FOR SAID FRAME COMPRISING A PROP HAVING AN END PORTION CONNECTED TO SAID BIGHT PORTION. 